Under Peach Trees
by Dreamicide
Summary: Sometimes it's the simple pleasures in life. — MythoRue


**Notes:** Since there wasn't an official Secret Santa gift exchange over on Livejournal this year, I participated in a much smaller exchange with several other close friends.  
>This fic is what I gave to my giftee - SpiralingReaper. Hope you enjoy!<br>**I own nothing.**

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><p><strong>Under Peach Trees<strong>

Weather was never a stable concept in the kingdom where fairytales thrived. 'Unpredictable' couldn't even _begin_ to describe it, really—some days were pleasant and sunny, and then a few hours later the hail would rat against the windows with such vigor that any sensible person would steer clear from the glass. It made things such as scheduling outings to be rather complicated and headache-inducing.

Getting used to things like the weather and other every-day living took much time for Rue. In fact, she never quite felt like she ever _did_ get used to it. She could be standing in a field of flowers, letting the petals brush through feather soft hair, and then suddenly it would be snowing and she'd have to be escorted back inside before she caught cold.

She had read stories when she was younger. She thought she would have been a little more prepared to live in an enchanted world. But then, Rue had to remind herself, in stories time could pass by years with the single turn of a page. Days and weeks were much different here.

It made little difference to her, though. Rue was by her prince's side, and they were both facing this brave new world together. Their adventure may have ended back in Goldkrone, but that didn't mean they were done facing adventures. It was a story, after all. 'Happily ever after' wouldn't come until the very last page.

If was after one such adventure that Rue found herself seated by the plush window seat, gaze overlooking the village before their castle. Small dots that were made of citizens ran about, many of them young men throwing their backs into sawing wood and cementing primitive walls after a violent raid they faced from an enemy country several days prior.

It was gruesome, and the memories weren't serving her well. As Kraehe, she was a woman who took whatever she wanted even by force, but as Rue she was a dancer who lived and governed with her prince. She found herself at a loss of what to do as she watched the thatched roofs burn and paint the sky in a magnificent orange, and heard the shrill cries of women and children as the enemy warriors invaded in a blood-filled massacre. Just the thought made her feel ill, and watching the village before her try to pick up their pieces again left the woman distraught. She had nothing but words and dances for them, when they needed stone and rations.

And Siegfried could sense her unstable state as well. Coming up from behind, he set a gentle hand over her shoulder in comfort.

"My princess?" he asked, waiting for her to turn her head and allow him to continue. When she did, he let himself take a moment just to trail his fingers along in her feather-soft hair fondly. "The village is healing much better than we first thought it would."

At that, she gave a nod, turning her attention back over the landscape and watching their citizens at work.

When she said nothing more, Siegfried placed his other hand on her opposite shoulder, closing his eyes and in deep thought. Then, when an idea struck, he blinked them back open, a slight smile on his face. "Rue, won't you come on an outing with me? Why don't we go rest out by the lake?"

"Rest?" Rue replied, shifting to face him once more, her brows furrowed slightly. "I'm plenty rested. It's our people who need rest more than anyone."

The prince gave her a sympathetic look in return, understanding and feeling her pain. "I know, my princess. However, there's little we can do for the moment. We've rebuilt the barricades, so there should be no more threat of an invasion. All that needs to be done is for the town to heal and recuperate." With that, his hands gave her a comforting caress over her shoulders, as if in a plead. "…It…pains me to see you like this, Rue. Won't you please join me for the afternoon? I'm sure it will serve you well."

It was at that, though, when the woman gave him another questioning look. He had lived here just as long as she had, so the proposition to go out and relax out by the lake was….

"I don't see why outside would be the place to go. Shouldn't it rather be inside?"

Siegfried gave her a warm smile, gesturing out the window of which she was seated before. "It's so clear and nice outside, though…please, princess, I would really love for you to come with me." He accentuated the request with a touch to her cheek, of which she then slightly turned to the side so as to hide the slight redness in her cheeks.

He did have a point, though: it certainly _was_ wonderful weather, although it did bring up yet another question out of Rue. Keeping her eyes trailed over the clear blue horizon, watching as the clouds languidly passed by, she voiced it. "But it's not to say it'll remain so in a mere few minutes from now."

He gave a small chuckle at that. "I find the mystery to be quite charming. We can see the kingdom in all stages of seasons in less than an hour." When she only fell silent, though, Siegfried's amber eyes grew downcast. "…Please, my princess?" The recent attack had put strain on the both of them, and while he too felt the burden of keeping his country on stable feet, it pained him more than he could say for Rue to be sharing it. To him, she had held enough pain on her own. It was only natural, as the one who loved her most, to want to take some of it away.

And she knew that feeling well. So with another glance to his eyes, ones that had not shown their pink hue in several years, Rue shifted in her seat before holding the edges of her dress and standing, dusting off the lace rims. "I suppose," she mused, "it has been a while since I last spoke with Miss Groundhog."

Siegfried couldn't even hide his grin.

_.o._

By some miracle, which wouldn't be that much of an outlandish statement considering where they lived, the sky managed to remain clear and bright throughout the couple's stroll. The breeze flew through their clothes, tossing their hair about and carrying the sweet smell of honeysuckle.

As they've done when mere children at the academy, she held to his arm throughout the leisure walk, his free hand coming to rest upon her own.

"We will heal," Siegfried said, his fingers strengthening their hold over her warm dainty skin. "I am sure of it."

And Rue nodded solemnly, as the calm waters of the lake finally came into view. It was within a small clearing, surrounded by magnificent peach trees with blossoms and fruit bearing down over the scenery. A normal person would have found it odd for a tree to bear both flowers and fruit, but as someone whose lived in the kingdom for as long as she had, Rue knew it was simply because impossible things like that were possible.

Releasing his arm from her grip, Siegfried stepped forward to sit under one of the trees, smiling warmly and reaching out a hand in invitation. Rue took it graciously, fanning out her dress from underneath and sitting gracefully over her folded legs before making herself comfortable next to her prince.

She began chatting with the passing butterflies while Siegfried made small talk with the ducks, flocking over to visit and inquire about their health. They were always rather loud creatures, but they soon became a favorite to make friends with not long after the prince and princess's return.

Sitting up straight and feeling the pressure of her head leaning against his shoulder, Siegfried reached up as high as he could—but was only able to grab for a few peaches when a passing robin offered her assistance.

"Are you…feeling any better?" Siegfried tentatively asked, holding out a single fruit for her to take.

And she did, closing her eyes to take a petite bite and letting the sweet flavor run over her tongue. "No matter how I feel, it won't change the fact that our people were hurt yesterday." She took another bite.

Siegfried lightly scratched behind his ear, giving a chuckle. "I know. But you must understand that I enjoy seeing you contented much more than anguished. Just as I would rather see all of our citizens happy." With that, he reached down to take one of her small pale hands in his. "I want to make Rue the happiest of all, though."

It was on that note that Rue's face fell just a smidgen, her red eyes downcast into her lap covered in dress. It was days like this when she would wonder how things would be different if her prince still had the ability to love all equally, instead of any one person more. But in the end, she knew he still did harbor incredible love for the village, and so doubting in herself wouldn't do any good.

As she thought, the prince took his own peach and bit into it. After remarking on the delicious taste, he turned his gaze over to the lake, the water still and giving off the illusion of glass reflecting the blue sky.

When the sun began to set, the prince turned back to her. "You have yet to answer my question," he said, almost in a teasing manner. He finished off his third peach, a small accumulation of seed cores in his hands, as the evening sky took on a more painted tone with oranges and pinks.

Rue looked at her own leftover peach core, leaning down to shift a patch of dirt to the side and bury it. Judging by the mechanics of the story, it could be full grown in up to a day or several weeks. It was up to the little seedling itself on how fast it wished to sprout.

"…I suppose the air does feel relaxing," she said, closing her eyes and letting the soft breeze sway through her hair.

Of course, that all immediately changed from one moment to the next.

The next time Rue blinked and lifted her gaze over the lake, she practically threw herself backward with a startled yelp. "Wha—what's—?"

Siegfried was quick to steady her, arm catching her back and holding her in place. And when he looked around, the weather had decided to change itself again at an abrupt rate. Already, the snow was falling heavily over the duo, and the lake had clearly frozen over.

Giving a sigh, the princess frowned as she brushed off the snow that had accumulated over her head and dress. It always startled her when the weather switched like that—she never found she could stand being outside for a prolonged period of time. And the princess was never fond of the coldness, either; evident by the way she began to shiver as she made to stand up.

But Siegfried caught her by the hand before she could move, imploring her with his eyes as she looked at him. "Why don't we stay for a bit longer? We've never been out to experience the snow for ourselves."

"And for good reason," Rue mused quietly, still shaking the cold white material off her shoulders before it could melt. But she didn't make any more hints to move, settling back down by her prince's side—scooting a few inches closer for warmth.

He kept her hand graciously in his, the smile on his face as bright as ever. "It is certainly beautiful, however. Almost magical…."

Rue could have laughed, and she was close to doing so. "I'd expect nothing less from a kingdom full of _said_ magic, wouldn't you say?"

"I believe I would."

And so they leaned back against the peach tree, him pulling her closer and her shifting to make herself comfortable. While Rue couldn't say she had stopped worrying over the state of their kingdom, it was at the very least comforting to have someone concerned for her like this. Only two people in the world have ever shown her such genuine emotion in that regard.

And just as she knew that no matter how fast or slow the seed will grow, their people can recover just the same.

So Rue allowed herself to relax, a quaint smile on her lips. She still never preferred the cold, but she would take comfort in Siegfried's providing warmth more than anything.

And so she did.

**End**


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